DON’ T GET CARRIED AWAY
When the T5 appeared on eBay it was obvious that it wouldn’t hang around for long. Unfortunately it was in South London and I wasn’t. Fortunately Brad, a good friend of the magazine, was on hand to look it over. I’ve bought and sold a lot of scooters in my time but there are still plenty of pitfalls to avoid, particularly when buying at a distance. My tips for buying a project machine are:
Before viewing the scooter
• Do your homework. Identify the correct frame and engine codes for the model you’re looking at, be aware if there are any common faults to look for, or any particularly hard to find parts that should be present.
• Understand the market value of what you’re buying, if it’s underpriced ask yourself why.
• If it’s British registered pay for an HPI check. It’s unlikely that there’ll be outstanding finance on a 32-year-old scooter but HPI will also tell you lots of other information, most importantly if it’s been written off. Many HPI companies also include insurance against certain types of fraud in their fee. It costs less than a take away pizza but could save you hundreds.
• Look at the MoT history and identify previous advisories. If they haven’t been fixed these make great bargaining chips when it comes to haggling over price.
At the viewing
• Always, I mean always, look the scooter over before agreeing a price. If that’s not possible in person, or you don’t know what to look for, can a friend or friend of a friend do it for you? It may mean giving them some beer money but that’s cheaper than buying a dud.
• If you’re relying on someone else’s opinion make sure they understand what your limits are both in terms of price and condition. One person’s project is another’s nightmare.
• Check chassis and engine numbers against those recorded on any paperwork. An import should at least have a NOVA certificate. Be very wary if there’s no documentation.
• If the scooter’s running, take a test ride. Even if it’s only round a car park, you’ll quickly get a feel for any necessary repairs.
• Don’t be afraid to haggle and taking cash is always an advantage. It’s much harder to turn down an offer when staring at pound notes!
• Finally, trust your instincts. There are plenty of scooters out there; if things don’t feel right, walk away.